Stance indicator for golf



Dec. 2, 1924 1,517,555

L. V. GRAHAM STANCE INDICATOR FOR GOLF Filed 90%.. 2, 1922 Patented er.2, 1824.

LYIVIAN V. GRAHAM, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

STANCE INDICATOR FOR GOLF.

Application filed October 2, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN V. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Kansas City, county of Jackson, State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stance Indicators forGolf, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates to golf stance indicators to indicate the correctplacing ofthe feet with regard to the position of the-ball in theteaching of golf, and may also be used for practice purposes in learningthe'exact stance for the most satisfactory results in playing anyparticular shot.

A further obj ect is to produce a golf stance indicator of such naturethat it may be used to accurately follow out written instructions as tothe correct position for the feet in playing a particular stroke with aparticular club. I

A still further object is to produce a device ofthe character set forthwhich may be readily'and easily dismantled'for storage or transport.

The chief objects are accomplished, as will hereinafter appear, byaccurately determining the exact position of the feet of the playerand'the ball with regard to the angle of flight or direction in which itis intended to drive the ball.

With the objects named in view, the inven tion consists in certain noveland useful features of construction and organization of parts ashereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood, reference is to be had to 'the accompanying drawing, inwhich :-f

Figure 1 isaperspective view of a golf stance indicator embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of thesame Figure 3 isan enlarged top planview of the head of-the device partlybroken away to disclose partsotherwise hidden;

Figure 4: is. an enlarged top plan view of the connection between one ofthe sliding arms of the stem of the device; r

Figure 6 's a section on theline V-V of Figure4;and c Figure 6 is aperspective view ofa modifled form of the device. i

In the said drawing, where likereference characters identifycorresponding parts in all,of the figures, 1 indicates the stem or mainindicating member of the stance indicator and said stem is numberedconsecutive Serial No. 591,854.

ly in inches or other units from one end to the other. Rigidly securedat the end of the stem where the graduations begin is a T- shaped head 2held in position by means of rivets 3 and securely braced by means ofdownwardly and inwardly extending flanges 4 partially embracing thestem, as clearly shown by the drawing. The free ends of the cross head 2are formed with downwardly and inwardly extending flanges 5 for apurpose which will hereinafter appear.

The extremity of the stem is recessed for the reception of a sprin catch6 formed with a lug 7 and held in position at one end by means of ascrew 8, the other end being free for sliding movement in the recess.The catch 6 is adapted to'lock a transverse cross head 9 in position on"the end of the stem by coming into locking engagement with a recess 10formed midway the length of the inner edge of the cross head, as will bereadily understood, said cross headbeing slidingly received within theflanges 5 of the member 2. The cross head 9 is consecutively numberedfrom the left to the right in the same units as that of the stem.

A pair of parallel longitudinal slots 11 are formed in the upper face ofthe stem, and the lower face is provided with similar slots 12. Adaptedfor sliding longitudinal movement along the stem and projecting inopposite directions area pair of T-shaped members 13 provided withsuitable flanged extremities 14- and 15 for engagement with the slots11. and 12 respectively, the free ends of the members 13 being bentdownwardly and imvard ly to form flanges 16, and being cut awaycentrally and the cut out portionsbent downwardly and inwardly to formflanges 17.

Fitted within the flanges 16 and 17 of each of the T-shaped members 13are oppositely projecting arms 18 held rigidly in position by means ofrivets 19. Each of the arms 18 is consecutively numbered from the stemout wardly in the same units as said stem, and may he slidlongitudinally of the stem and independently of the other arm as founddesirable, as will hereinafter appear.

From the'construction above described it will be apparent that when itisdesired to dismantle the devicefor storage or transportation, the headmember 9 may be removed from position and that the wings 18 may be slidlongitudinally of the stem until disengaged.

The

device as indicated by Figure 6 is v preferably made of small tubes andis provided with a single arm 18 which may be rotated around the stem toeither side thereof for indicating the position oi the right or leftfoot, as will hereinafter appear. It is otherwise similarin all respectsto the device above described.

The use of a devicetor the teaching of a correct stance is as follows:For example, the following directions are given :Ball 6, Left 16-1 l,Right 211l, which interpreted, means that the ball shall be placed inthe position indicated by the arrow opposite the 6 oi the head piece,the toe of the left toot must be placed in the position indicated by thearrow opposite the 14 of the left wing, and the toe of the right footopposite the 11 of the right wing, it being understood that the wingswill be preliminarily positioned opposite the 16 and 21 respectively ofthe stem.

.For use in practice in the correction of faults, the player can makeuse of'the indicator for determining his common position which resultsin a slice, for example, and then through experimentation with thedevice may determine the exact stance he should assume for thecorrection of the fault.

In the use of the device as illustrated in Figure 6, it will be apparentthat the player must determine and mark the :position of one foot andthen rotate the arm 18 and carry outthe operation withthe other foot.

W hen the player using the stance indicator is actually going 'toattempt aipractice drive or play, the position of the ball and the toeof each foot will be indicated'on the ground by means of a mark or amatch laid on the ground, the indicator is now removed and the playertees his ball and takes his stance in accordance with the pointspreliminarily determined, as will 'be readily imderstood.

, The above examples are given merely as indioatory of'some of the usesto which the indicator may be put, but it willbe evident that itmaybeused in manydillerent ways by an experienced player. i

In connection with the use of the invention, it is highly important thatthe cross-piece of the stem shall always be placed coinciding with theline of fiight or direction'in which'it is desired to drive the ballpasin giving directions for'the use of the instrument, the predeterminedlin'e of flight will alwaysbe employed as t-he basis tor the computationof the relative positions of the ball and feet oftheplayer.

From the above description, it will be apparent that 1 haveproduced a"device of the character set forth Which possesses all of the featuresof advantage set forth as des rable, and while I have described andclaimed the preferred embodiment of the same, I reserve the right tomake changes properly falling Within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A stance indicator, comprising a stem having linear measurementindicated thereon, said graduations commencing at one end of said stemand serving as a guide for the user in assuming a position the requireddistance from the said end of the stem; a cross head secured to the saidend of the stem at rigl it angles thereto, and provided withmeasuren'ient marks as a guide in filocating a golf ball relative tosaid cross head and stem, and an arm paralleling the cross head andslidably connected to thestem for adjustment laterally toward and from 51s cross head, and provided With measurement marks as a guide for thepositioning of a foot of the user at the distance desired from the stem.

2. A stance indicator, comprising a stem having linear measurementindicated there on, aid graduations'commencing at one end of said stemand serving as a guide forthe user in assuming a positionthe'requireddistan'ce from the said end of the stem; a cross headsecured to the said end of the stem at right angles thereto, andprovided with measurement marks as a guide in locating a golf ballrelative to said cross head and stem, ana'rm palallelingthe cross headand slidably connected to the stem for adjustment laterally toward andfrom the cross head, and provided with measurement marks -'as a guidefor the :po'sitioning o'f a foot of the user at=thedis1tance desiredfrom the stem, and a second arm paralleling the cross head and slidablyconnected to the stem and projecting laterallytherefrom .in the oppositedirectiontothe first-named arm and independently'slidable on'the stem,and provided *with measurement marks as guidefor the positioning oftheother foot of 1 the user.

3. stance indicator, comprising a stem having linear measurementindicated thereon, said graduations commencing at one'end of said'stemand serving as a guideforl-the user'inassuming a position the required.distance from the said end of the stennacross head detachably secured atan intermediate point inits length, to said stem an'dextending at rightangles'tothe latter, and provided with measum nent marks as a guide inlocating the desiredposition for a golf ball, relative to the cross headand stem, and an armparalleling theic'rossfhead and slidably connectedto 'the stemfor adjustment laterally toward and from the cross head, andprovided with Lnieasurement marks as a guide for-the positioning ol footof the user thedistanceldesired'from the stein.

- 4:. Astance indicator, comprising a stem havnng linear measurementindicated thereon, saidgraduations commencing at one end of said stemand serving as a guide for the user in assuming a position the requireddistance from the said end of the stem, a cross head detachably securedto the said end of the stem at right angles thereto, and provided withmeasurement marks as a guide in locating the desired position fora golfball relative to said cross head and stem, an arm paralleling the crosshead and projecting laterally from and mounted slidably on the stern formovement toward and from the cross head, and a second arm parallel tothe cross head and slidably secured to the stem for movement toward andfrom the cross head and projecting in the opposite direction from thesaid stem to the first-named arm, said arms having measurement marks asa guide for the positioning of the feet of the user at the requisitedistance from and at opposite sides of said stem.

In witness whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

LYMAN V. GRAHAM.

